defending cuts, half defense, half nondefense. republicans don't like the defense cuts. democrats don't like the nondefense cuts. and we have the freshry debt ceiling. whichever party doesn't win the election is going to use that to help support their side. you know what? it's odd, but i think the political stars are actually aligned that we are going to get a deal. at least a reasonably good deal, solve these issues. and if we do, the good things that are happening in our underlying economy, what jpmorgan is talking about in the banking system, american businesses, all those things will start to shine through. >> maybe congress won't be as stupid as alan simpson thinks it will be. i want to switch to taxes and this claim by the romney/ryan team campaign that they would cut tax rates by 20%, across the board, still maintaining tax, you know, tax breaks that are there for the middle class. they wouldn't get rid of middle-class deductions. but also they wouldn't be rolling back any kind of investment taxes either. i want you to listen to what paul ryan said last night. >>